OK, I’ll admit it, my quarter final predictions were a disaster. Brazil and Argentina lost, Spain scraped through and Uruguay needed a handball, a penalty miss and penalties! Oh dear. Well, I must be due for a little form, so my predictions for the semi finals are… the Netherlands and Germany to win. Both winning 2-1. Yes, I’m putting my heart and soul in to this… (more…)

Let’s be honest, the World Cup isn’t really particularly serious whilst England are still in it. Once England have been knocked out, you know the wheat has been separated from the chaff. I was, I have to say, quite please to see England get stuffed, since I’d packed my World Cup Fantasy Football team with, err, German strikers. Mueller and Podolski did me proud, and I finished comfortably top of my league for the round. Nice one. I should also point out, I scored 5/8 on my Round of 16 predictions. Not bad, I’d say. The three I got wrong were the USA, who I had down to beat Ghana, Spain, who I picked to lost against Portugal, and Japan, who I had to win against Paraguay. However, in fairness, I did pick that game as a dull 0-0 that Japan would go to penalties, which I got spot on – just not the winners of the shootout. C’est la vie. (more…)

Unfortunately, the World Cup comes around at a rather busy time of year, so it’s been hard to keep up, but I figures that the end of the group stages was a good time to reflect upon the tournament so far – and what a strange tournament it’s been! Firstly, a few notable facts: (more…)

So, the World Cup is finally here! The opening matches were yesterday, when the World Cup hosts, South Africa, drew 1-1 with Mexico in an encounter dominated early on by the Mexicans, but nearly ended up losing at the death. This was then followed by a dire 0-0 draw between France and Uruguay. I’ve seen a few bad games in my time, but that really was an awful game, possibly on a par with the time I saw Watford draw 0-0 with Peterborough United at Vicarage Road. Believe me, that was an awful match. (more…)

Whilst most of the football world focused their attention last weekend on the FA Cup final at Wembley between Portsmouth and Chelsea, the focus north of the border in Scotland was very much on the Active Nation Scottish Cup Final between Ross County and Dundee United – and Noelinho couldn’t resist but go along to Hampden and see the game out. (more…)

Last week, I had the (dubious) pleasure of watching Rangers play at home in the Champions’ League against Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni. With a prime seat right in front of the away dugout, and within easy shouting distance of the home dugout, I was looking forward to a home win. After all, the team Rangers were playing are, on paper, by far the weakest in the group, and Ibrox doesn’t tend to be an easy place to play at. (more…)